JUNE 10, 2024 – Flag Day is celebrated annually on June 14, and is a celebration of the heritage of the American flag on the anniversary of the official adoption of the flag in 1777. The National Flag of the Republic of Korea (ROK), the “Taegeukgi” embodies the vision of the Korean people who, like the universe, seek continuous creation and enrichment.
The historical ties between the U.S. and the ROK, particularly in the Korean War, have forged a strong alliance, symbolized by the presence of both nations’ flags during joint military and diplomatic events. The shared values of peace, democracy, and unity reflected in both flags underscore the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Three words are often used to describe the tight bond between the U.S. and South Korea: “We Go Together.” The flags of the U.S. and ROK stand as powerful emblems of their respective histories and the strong bond they share.
While Flag Day is not a federal holiday, it is celebrated annually on June 14th, in the U.S. and abroad. Consequently, the U.S. celebrates July 4th as the date that represents the Declaration of Independence, as America’s revolutionary charter of Freedom. While August 2, 1776, was the actual date of signage, July 4th was the date that the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration. The flag was adopted by the Continental Congress during the revolutionary war and was referred as the “Stars and Stripes”. Prior to the adoption of the flag, each of the 13 colonies had its own flag representing their territories.
On June 14th, Congress made the Flag Resolution of 1777, stating, “The flag of the United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white on a blue field.” The origins of the current flag, The Stars and Stripes, has a long, ambiguous history which has now become a part of American folklore. The first design was representative of the 13 original colonies. It had 13 white stars on a blue field and 13 alternating red and white stripes. One of the first designs had the stars arranged in a circle, which had basis in the idea that all colonies were equal. Later, in 1818, the United States Congress decided to retain the flags’ original 13 stripes and add new stars to reflect new states that entered the union. Each time a state was added, a star was added.
Today, there are 50 stars, one for each state in the union, but the 13 stripes remain, to signify the origins of the flag. There are no records on why the Continental Congress chose the colors of the flag. However, in 1782, the Congress of the Articles of Confederation chose the colors for the seal of the United States with the following meanings: white for purity and innocence, red for valor and hardiness, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Flag day as we know it was celebrated as a patriotic occasion for many decades, but it was President Woodrow Wilson who made the observance official by presidential proclamation on May 30, 1916.
The decision for the creation of a national flag for the ROK came from the Korea-United States Treaty of 1882. There are no records of the flag that was chosen for use at the ratification of the Treaty. The current South Korean flag, the “Taegeukgi,” consists of a white background, a red and blue taegeuk circle in the center, and four black trigrams (collectively called geongongamri), one in each corner of the flag. The white background represents brightness, purity, and peace, which are qualities that are highly valued by the people.
The Taeguek denotes the harmony between negative (yin: blue portion), and the positive cosmic forces (yang: red portion), depicting the truth of nature that all things are created and evolve through the interaction of yin and yang. The four black trigrams are specific representations of movement of harmony of these forces. The geon (top left) symbolizes the sky, the gam (top right) the water, the ri (bottom left) fire, and the gon (bottom right) the earth. Together, they create harmony around the taegeuk mark.
The observance of Flag Day in the U.S. and the symbolism of the “Taegeukgi” in South Korea highlight the deepest-rooted values and historical significance embodied by each nation’s flags. Both flags incorporate elements symbolizing peace and unity. The white in the South Korean flag symbolizes peace, like the white stripes in the U.S. flag. The “Taegeukgi” symbolizes balance and harmony, akin to the union of the stars in the U.S. flag which represents unity among the states.
In 1953, the U.S. and the Republic of ROK signed a Mutual Defense Treaty, which was the foundation of the iron-clad alliance called “the relationship forged in blood.” On June 25, 1950, Democratic People’s Republic Korea (DPRK) forces attacked and invaded the ROK. A United Nations coalition of 16 countries, led by the U.S. conducted a defense of the South. Following China’s entry into the war in late 1950, a stalemate ensued for over three years of the conflict until the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.
The U.S. has maintained Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine personnel in the ROK in support of its commitment under the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty to assist the ROK to defend itself against external aggression. The U.S. and the ROK continue to coordinate closely on respective engagements with the DPRK. Through continued collaboration and mutual respect, these flags will continue to represent not only their nations’ ideals based on shared core values like freedom and democracy, but also their steadfast partnership in facing global challenges.
Courtesy Story
2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division